Two seconds from death near the Willow Flowage
- Thread starter liv2ride
- Start date
That's exactly what the "trail" is. Maybe I should have been a little more clear. It's not a road. There is a gate to get access to this trail. You only get a key to get back there if you own property way back in this forest area. There is no UPS or Fed Ex drivers on this "trail". Apparently there is now one person using his key to open the gate to gain access to his cabin a few miles down this trail. I didn't want to get in this stupid debate about how others think I should drive. This is for the people who KNOW the trail! If you want to go down this really nice wide trail 20 mph, great! Keep in mind that you could get blasted by this plow as I almost did at the speed of 20mph. Did some of you not read my post? It seems like the ones who know the trail know what I'm talking about.
Very well said! Absolutely spot on!
scoot
Member
The green signs mark the approved "routes" though a town or community also allowing access to local businesses. Otherwise it becomes a free for all with people buzzing down roads they have no business being on. If a roadway is marked with orange blazers, even if you're riding along a parkway (ditch) law states you must follow traffic laws and speed limits. Most trails that follow a road are marked on both sides so snowmobiles can ride right with the traffic. Although I still see snowmobiles riding on the wrong side of the road all the time.
A trail permit and an orange blazer does not give snowmobiles carte blanche, and all others need to stay out of their way, only permission to ride it.
Weekend warrior/FIB.
Yep. Been doing this stuff since the 80's. Been a club member for probably 25 years, been taking group rides for years, and have never had an accident. Only once has someone in my group hit something and I had warned him to be careful because his borrowed sled had studs, no carbides and bad brakes. Are you really going to sit there and tell me that on some hard pack road trail in the middle of nowhere you're not going to open it up a bit? Be real.
WorkHardPlayHrd
Active member
What is the point of riding if at some time you don't occasionally use the throttle? Riding is my stress relief, and there is nothing better then a beautiful open straight away for letting the ponies play. So since I like to ride fast does that make me a FIB/weekend warrior. Normally you'll find us out at night when everyone else is tucked into bed. To each his own, but quite tearing down others. Not you blkhwkbob.
I don't really ride the trails, at least I don't as much as possible. I'm a boondocker and look for places to go to off the beaten path. When I do ride the trails i get passed all the time and about 35 mph is about as fast as I go. I like to take in the view and see what is out there. It's not about getting from one point to another as fast as I can. It's about the journey for me not going 80 mph.
I get how it is like it is for you because I see it all the time. So I don't vacation anymore. I just don't for many reasons. First, I have seen a lot on the world. I lived in the UK for 2 years and when I was there traveled to most of the mainland and I did exactly what you do, run around and see everything that I can. Belgium, Poland, Holland, Finland, Estonia, Germany, Scotland, Wales, Ireland...you name it.
Then was I was married we took extended va-cays. Spain for a month and a half, Puerto Rico for three, Japan for 3. What that did is make us go on vacation but relax and live a little instead of trying to do everything. We did some cool things too. In Spain we had our friends pick up our kids in a 1974 El Dorado candy apple red caddy at the Prado. We also took a Rolls Silver Cloud to the Tomb of the Kings. I know all that sounds all high class and I'm bragging but we did it slow and didnt try to do it all. It was very paced and it felt like we were living there, almost. We weren't out buying tourist things and went off the beaten path.
So this Yooper thing that some of you try to be a part of just might not be your gig. I'm not saying do not come here because all are welcome. Maybe just chill out a little? Maybe just understand that it's okay to dress down most of the time. We won't be impressed or unimpressed either way. It's the mindset. We don't have a plethora of good jobs and most people don't make a bunch of money- some do and some don't, most don't.
Most locals might just kinda wonder just what the heck a person on a lime green snowmobile wearing a polka dotted monosuit is really trying to achieve socially or otherwise.
So my sons first sled was an old Phazer, and that thing has seen some major changes. Now he rides a 2018 155 RMK 800, he loves it and is precocious as it gets- he is a rider. At the same time we picked up a old Elan and threw about $300 in it to make it work. He and I have been all over the place and back with it in the backcountry. That thing is terrible, in all honesty, but it gets there and back but is also totally fun. Watching him sail off of jumps is hilarious. The smell of the thing is retching. The look of that thing is pathetic. He has to carry around a spray bottle of gasoline to prime it when we cool off the sleds so it starts, keeps it in his Kilm backpack. Too funny.
You get up here and want to go everywhere that you can and do as much as you can.Sadly you, as most are, missing the point of what the U.P. is about.
There is an amazing world out there to see and you can't see it at 80.
Edit: and you will know it's me on the trails because it will be on one of two Tundras, probably the old one- a Tundra II or a newer 550, but probably the 1994. What is unmistakable, even at 80, is the CCM Hancock Hockey helmet that I wear. It has a half shield. I do not care.
btw, the groomer just went by on trail 17 north of Hancock, 9:04 p.m... Go 80!
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I love it! All true, many places, things to see, and folks to talk to! I have made a lot of good friends up there over the years. Enjoy, be safe!
We gotta be cool, man. Chill.
Our life is so fast paced and stressful. We must pull back on the throttle more.
One of my sons favorite snowmobile rides was us cutting all over the place from Clear Lake to Winona, all back woods fun. Right before we got back to camp we decided to stop at Clear Lake. We just sat there looking out and enjoyed the sun and didn't say much. Exhausted and looking out at the sparkling snow, the dead calm, the smell of Bel Ray weeping out of the hot pipes... we stayed there and just took it all in.
When I lived in England I went nuts trying to see as much as I could, everywhere i could. But where i felt the best was when i was sitting in a pub in Aldebourgh with my friends having a pint where we have been a thousand times. Pubs in small town England are very homey. Did a lot of things with those people outside of the pub. Christmas, Super Bowl parties at 2 am and just hanging out and helping out neighbors when they needed help. Man, that's what it was all about.
Is anything worse than going on a vacation and feeling like you need to take a vacation to recover from your vacation?
Progressively it started to dawn on me and I decided to live my life like the classic tale of the two bulls.
Two bulls, a young bull and an old bull, are standing up on this ridge looking down at a bunch of cows. The young bull says, "why don't we run down there real quick and screw a few of those cows?"
The old bull looks over to him, "how bout we walk down and screw them all?"
So what kind of job did you have that let you take months off at a time?
I disagree with you. Plenty of trails in the state of Wisconsin that you can hit those speeds safely.
To the original poster: The truck on the side of the trail should have been an indicator to all riders to slow down in this situation. Anyone still going high rate of speed with one plow truck on the side of the trail is just an idiot. Its kind of like when you see a deer.....you should know another one could be coming.
To the original poster: The truck on the side of the trail should have been an indicator to all riders to slow down in this situation. Anyone still going high rate of speed with one plow truck on the side of the trail is just an idiot. Its kind of like when you see a deer.....you should know another one could be coming.
Well I guess I should quit my job for a lower paid one, sell my trail sled to buy a tundra and never go over 35mph. Then I will really enjoy life!!
I'm sorry for the sarcasm but just because that is how you enjoy your life or sledding doesn't mean it is the only way to do it. People are motivated by many different things. I enjoy the thrill of going fast, traveling across the entire UP and seeing as many destinations as possible. I have zero desire to go off trail or boondocking as you call it. But I'm also OK with you riding that way because I'm not interested in telling you how to ride. You enjoy it your way and I'll do it mine.
BTW, I love buying tourist things while on my trips. My crew always try's to buy sweatshirts from some of the nice establishments we visit up there. Heck, I even have a Polaris shirt that I bought from the dealer in Greenland that every time I put it on I remember the great trip I had staying in that area.
Sheesh, chill out! To each his own.
That's exactly my point. ride how you want to ride assuming its not breaking any laws.
WorkHardPlayHrd
Active member
As liv2ride said because of seeing truck he used caution and slowed down to 20 mph instead of 60 mph. He was not doing 60 when the truck came out from behind the bank. He posted this to warn others of a possible situation that he found himself in that is not the norm for this section if trail. To indicate that he did not use caution upon seeing the one truck means you did not read the original post in detail.